The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1887-01-01
THE SWEEPERS.
A NEW YEAS story WHICH DESCRIBES
HOW 1T WILL NJ.

a H4h ll>.l-' . yi'A " 80 a. SA-|~'NA~a1S
HOW 1T WILL ne
The evening was clear and cold. the stars
smiled down upon earth so fondly that when
| looked from my WINDOW late in the night |
longed TO 90 out under them, and let their
benign spell charm away the fret and fever
of the day. went 0 1t and walked slowly
on and on, feeling the restful influence of the
silence and the beauty of the night. A cres-
cent moon glittered III the sky, the myrlads
of stars blazed in unwonted glory, and the
earth slept under a white blanket Of snow.
As walked farther and farther in the cold,
white silence, the everyday world, with its
worry and ycxation, fell away from me.
The people of the village slept. Their
houses were locked and lightless; the earth
itself slept. only seemed to be awake But
no; another was abroad as well as myself.
Not meditativc soul, evidently, for he came
toward me whsting and singing CHEEKY
songs He had no vcxatOns to be charmed
away in the silence Of the night, that was
certain There was confident ring in his
step as he ground his heel into the hard beaten
snow Of the highway, and there was assertion
in the notes hc whstlcd and sang.
As he came in sight | saw that he was an
exceedingly spruce youth, with finely de
vropcd figure, and, as near AS | could see in
the white light Of the stars and the snow, "A
heaming fucc He was clad in velvet and
fur, dressed with foppish care and nicoty
and he carried brand new broom.
Good evening | said ms We were about
+" pass each other on the marrow road.
Evening" he said interrogutWcly. Il
ucvcr knew any such thing, belong to the
morning
las the boy been drinhingi" thought l. A
, cDai look convinced me that he had not.
ilu stuck the handle of hi, broom firmly into
so. -uow rs he stopped and spoke. | made
npHIE mind that he was a youth trimming
.,p. with lie uul hcrt,h and supjrIluous
H.ry That hc was Na,a any one could seq
.".I hi, walk, his speech aud manner. /
mtcd to prolong the conversation, and for
want of n better subject | mentioned the
beauty and newnesS of the broom.
That pleased him. He smiled approvingly,
| shook the broom trumphantly and said:
Yes, it's splendid broom, and it's well that
it is, for have big contract of sweeping on
| iand, and nm just on my way to begin"
"Youp | look at him incrcduously. Was
the boy merry lunaticl Going to do a job Of
| weeping, clad in velvet and fur Have YOU
| over swept any in your lifci" | asked
mo; but have studied sweeping, studied
| it In books"
"Ah! and what are you going TO sweep,
may askf'
Why I'm going 70 sweep the earth, he
said confidently, as he nourished the broom
above his head, and then scratched around
with it moment in the snow merely to
show his ekpertness rs a sweeper.
That's large contract for theoretical
sweeper" answered; IL am curious TO know
something about YOU
Don't recognize me, eh' Wen, how could
| you. since ] am not Yet boln'' And he
laughed aloud.
BY this time | was convinced that had
met jolly and extremely original lunatic.
| A. he seemed harmless as well ns mirthful, |
didn't mind hearing him talk little "Whot
partic ulsr style Of dirt do YOU intend TO
\ sweep Off tire earthi' asked
"Ev.rythine offensive and harmful" he re-
! piled, ~ o most positive voice. AN corrup-
uu', ,qprersion, dishonesty IN high places,
q a y rnda'oo in oil ps", Yes, and di,.
IL = ihp, TOO, must 20. And poverty also.
fr."vtirinS ,ias II hateful and makes the
, AeJl, Vller sha.l lie swept away